Collision energy absorbing devices have been used in railcars. For example, PTL 1 discloses a railcar collision energy absorbing device in which an energy absorbing element is covered with a cover member, the energy absorbing element being crushed in collision.
The cover member of the collision energy absorbing device disclosed in PTL 1 prevents a slight shock from being applied to the energy absorbing element. The cover member breaks in the collision to cause the energy absorbing element to function. Specifically, the cover member has a box shape which opens toward a supporting plate so as to cover the energy absorbing element from a tip end of the energy absorbing element, the energy absorbing element projecting from the supporting plate toward a front side. A slit extending in a leftward/rightward direction is provided at a center of a front wall of the cover member. Slits extending in a forward/rearward direction are provided on both respective side walls of the cover member. In the collision, the cover member breaks along the slits to be divided into upper and lower parts in a V shape toward the supporting plate.